Steering-lever.



Patented nee. 23, 1902.

C. B. HEBSHEY. saen'm LEVER.

(Application led Jan. 14, X902.)

(No Mnde.)

G12/Winamp @Mm #may VWM llNrrn STATES;

CHAUNCEY B. HERSHEY, OF ANDERSON, INDIANA.

STEERING-LEVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,709, dated December 23, 1902. Application led January 14, 1902. Serial No. 89,702. (No model.)

To if/ZZ whom; it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, CHAUNGEY B. Hnnsnnr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Anderson, in the county of Madison and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steering-Levers,of which the following is a specification.

In the use of automobile steering-levers considerable inconvenience has been experi-j enced because ofthe handle projecting in the way of persons mounting and dismounting.

The object of my said invention is to provide such a lever which will be capable of being adjusted. entirely out of the way when desired, leaving the passage to and from the vehicle entirely unobstructed and a very strong and durable lever for the purpose at the same time provided, all as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which are made a part hereof and on which similar reference letters indicate similar parts, Figure l is a central vertical section through a steering-post of my improved form provided with a lever embodying my said invention; Fig. 2, adetail similar to the upper portion ot' Fig. l, showing the lever in the position it occupies when out of theV way; Fig. 3, a detail elevation of one side of the lower end of the post, and Fig. 4 an elevation showing a slightly-modied construction.

In said drawings the portions marked A A represent the operating-handle, B the upper section of the post, and C the lower section.

The operating-handle consists ot' two parts A and A', connected by a hinge-joint a. The part A has'a suitable handle on its outer end and has its sides flattened from a shoulder o. to its connection with the part A. The part A is of sufficient weight to slightly overhalance the part A when resting on the fulcrum f, being preferably solid, while the part A is tubular. This is but a detail of construction, however, which may be varied as desired, as will be readily understood. A transverse notch a2 is formed in one side. of A, near its outer end, for a purpose to be presently described.

The section'B of the post is preferably a tube of suitable length and dimensions having a recess at one side, at its top, through which the end of handle A may project. A

head B' is mounted on the top of said tube, being rigidly secured thereto, as by brazing, and is formed with quadrant shaped side wings or braces extending out for a distance on each side of the recess, that distance apart equal to the thickness of the flattened portion ot' handle A, which works snuglyY in the way between them thus provided, the shoulders a. following the edges of the quadrant.

f A cylindrical boss B2 is formed on one side of the head B', its outer end being closed by a screw-cap b, and in said boss is mounted a spring bolt or latch B3, which slides through a perforation in the adjacent die of post B, being normally, held to project through said perforation to within said post by a spring b, mounted between a collar b2 on said bolt and the inner/end of screw-cap b.

The part C of the post has the arm or wing C on its lower end, by which it isl connected inv any approved manner with the steeringgear. Said part is tubular and is slotted on one side, as best shown in Fig. 3, having ears c at its top, on each side of the top, through which a clamping bolt or screw c' extends. The part B is telescopically mounted in said part C and ad j ustabl y secured by said clamping-bolt c', which permits the height of the bolt to be varied as desired.

In use the handle is mounted with its part A in the top of part B, the handle Aprojecting through the recess in the side of said part B between the wings or braces of the head B'. The operator in using the handle will press it down somewhat to substantially the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l, when it will rest on the fulcrum fat the outer edge of recess or way in headfB, the bolt B3 serving to limit its upward movement and prevent any movement beyond that required for the best results. The strain in its use is thus thrown upon said head and the pivot relieved therefrom, thus rendering the device stift and very durable. When the Weight of the hand is removed, the part A will overbalance the part A sufficiently to return Ait to the position shown in whole lines, in which position the fulcrumis'nearer the pivot, because of the curved form of the rest, when the two parts balance. When it is desired to place the handle out of the way, as for mounting or dismounting, it is raised to the IOO position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4 and allowed to telescope within the hollow post until it reaches the position indicated in Fig. 2 and turned until the bolt B3 engages notch a2 and securely locked in position, but at the same time readily available for use when required by simply turning the handle to disengage the bolt from the notch. Sometimes, as when the machine is to be left alone, it is desirable to remove the handle altogether, and thus prevent tampering with it by the curious and others. In such cases the handle is raised, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, and then lifted until the part A' is entirely removed from the post, when it may be folded, and thus conveniently taken away from the machine.

The only difference between the construction shown in the principal viewsv and that shown in Fig. 4 is that the post is made in one piece and the arm or wing C is fast on the bottom of the part B, in which case the height of said post is not adjustable. In many cases this form may be preferred. The spring-latch Bs is also omitted. .Other modifications in the details of construction may of course be made without departing from my invention.

While I have described this invention for use as an automobile steering-lever, it may be found capable of use in many other devices, and I do not, therefore, desire to be understood as limiting myself to any particular use thereof.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A steeringlever comprising a hollow standard or post adapted to be connected with the steering-gear and having a recess thro ugh one side, and a handle with a joint, said handle adapted to telescope within said hollow post and project through said recess, substantially as set forth.

2. A steering-lever comprising a hollow post with a recess through one side and wings projecting out at each side of said slot, and a handle adapted to telescope within said post and extend through said recess between said wings, substantially as set forth.

3. A steering-lever, comprising a hollow post or standard having a recess with wings or braces projecting from its sides, a handle formed with flattened sides to fit between said win gs when in operative position and adapted to telescope within said post when desired, substantially as se't forth.

4. A steering-lever comprising a hollow standard having a recess in its top with wings in the form of a quadrant projecting from each side of said slot, a handle formed with a joint and adapted to telescope within said standard and formed with attened sides adapted to fit and work between said wings, shoulders being formed at the point in said handle which will rest upon the edges of said wings, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination in a steering device of a hollow post adapted to be connected with the steering-gear, the handle formed in two parts jointed together and mounted to telescope bodily within said h ollow post, said hollow post being formed at its upper end to receive and embrace a part on said handle when turned into a horizontal position to lock said post and handle together, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the hollow standard adapted to be connected to the steering-gear and formed of two parts adjustably secured together, the head B with outwardly-projecting wings on the upper part, and the jointed handle mounted to telescope within said standard and project between said wings, substantially as set forth.

7. In a steering-lever, the combination of the hollow post, the head thereon and projecting wings with a way between them having a bottom inclined or curved from the outer edge toward the center of the post, and a handle hinged to a post and adapted to telescope within the post and project out between said wings and restupon said inclined bottom, substantially as set forth.

8. A steering-lever comprising a hollow post having a head with a recess in one side and a latch, a telescoping jointed handle in said post, the upper end of one part of said handle being adapted to contact with said latch and prevent its withdrawal, when in one position, and the other part being provided with a notch to engage said latch and secure it in the other position, substantially as set forth.

9. In a steering-lever, the combination, of the hollow post,the spring bolt or latch mounted in the head on its upper end, the jointed telescoping handle mounted in said post and formed with a notch to engage said spring bolt or latch, substantially as set forth.

10. A steering-lever comprising a hollow post, a telescoping handle mounted in said post, and a latch to secure said handle, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal, at Anderson, Indiana, this 23d day of December, A. D. 1901.

' CHAUNCEY B. HERSHEY. [L s] Witnesses:

OLIVER J. CULBERTSON, GEORGE R. MCMURRAY.

IOO

IIO 

